Polk County Schools announce 2-hour delay for Wednesday

Area schools faced bus, power and heating issues Tuesday

Published: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 5:26 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 5:26 p.m.

As temperatures dropped into the single-digits and dipped below zero Tuesday morning, area school bus engines refused to purr.

“We had a two-hour delay today because one-third of our buses would not crank, they would not go,” said Polk County Schools Superintendent William “Bill” Miller. “If we had tried to be on regular schedule today, we would have had a lot of students standing around waiting at the bus stop for who knows how long.”

Miller estimates that about 12 buses failed to start. Knowing how difficult it was to get the buses moving and on the road Tuesday morning with a two-hour delay, the school system anticipates similar problems tomorrow and has already announced another two-hour delay for Wednesday, Jan. 8.

“Those two hours gave us time to get the buses going on time and get the heat going in our schools,” Miller said.

Heat and power ultimately led Henderson County Schools to cancel school Tuesday, said Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Bill Parker.

Parker said that around 6:25 a.m., administrators learned that the power was out at Edneyville and Dana elementary schools. Shortly thereafter, a gas line valve froze at Glenn Marlow and prevented the heat from turning on, and the power went out at Bruce Drysdale.

“At that point in time, we decided it was pretty much a game-changer from a two-hour delay to go ahead and cancel schools,” Parker said, noting that the school system also had difficulties getting its buses cranked this morning as well. He estimated that close to 20 percent of the system's 111 buses failed to crank.

Though the diesel-powered buses were using a special winter mix designed to help engines start in the cold, Parker said “We've used it in the past and it's worked, but we typically don't get zero and slightly below temperatures.”

However, as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Henderson County and Transylvania County schools are scheduled to operate on normal schedule Wednesday.

Parker said a plan is in place to get mechanics out to buses early in the morning, but he also noted that school officials are still assessing the situation in regard to a delay or cancellation.

“We're going to let parents know as soon as possible without it being too late tonight or too early in the morning,” he said. "Our goal right now is to run on regular schedule."

<p>As temperatures dropped into the single-digits and dipped below zero Tuesday morning, area school bus engines refused to purr. </p><p>“We had a two-hour delay today because one-third of our buses would not crank, they would not go,” said Polk County Schools Superintendent William “Bill” Miller. “If we had tried to be on regular schedule today, we would have had a lot of students standing around waiting at the bus stop for who knows how long.”</p><p>Miller estimates that about 12 buses failed to start. Knowing how difficult it was to get the buses moving and on the road Tuesday morning with a two-hour delay, the school system anticipates similar problems tomorrow and has already announced another two-hour delay for Wednesday, Jan. 8. </p><p>“Those two hours gave us time to get the buses going on time and get the heat going in our schools,” Miller said.</p><p>Heat and power ultimately led Henderson County Schools to cancel school Tuesday, said Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Bill Parker.</p><p>Parker said that around 6:25 a.m., administrators learned that the power was out at Edneyville and Dana elementary schools. Shortly thereafter, a gas line valve froze at Glenn Marlow and prevented the heat from turning on, and the power went out at Bruce Drysdale.</p><p>“At that point in time, we decided it was pretty much a game-changer from a two-hour delay to go ahead and cancel schools,” Parker said, noting that the school system also had difficulties getting its buses cranked this morning as well. He estimated that close to 20 percent of the system's 111 buses failed to crank.</p><p>Though the diesel-powered buses were using a special winter mix designed to help engines start in the cold, Parker said “We've used it in the past and it's worked, but we typically don't get zero and slightly below temperatures.”</p><p>However, as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Henderson County and Transylvania County schools are scheduled to operate on normal schedule Wednesday. </p><p>Parker said a plan is in place to get mechanics out to buses early in the morning, but he also noted that school officials are still assessing the situation in regard to a delay or cancellation.</p><p>“We're going to let parents know as soon as possible without it being too late tonight or too early in the morning,” he said. "Our goal right now is to run on regular schedule."</p><p>Byrd can be reached at caitlin.byrd@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7881.</p>